Railway-switch signal



(No ModeL) J. .wA LANn.

RAILWAY SWITGH- SIGNAL.

No. 531,348. Patented-Dec, 25, 1894.

HUM

1M: uanms PETERS ca. rum-ammo wAsulmu. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEa JAMES wA-YLANi), or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

RAILWAY-SWITCH SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,348, dated December 25, 1894.

I Application filed January 24,1894. Serial Nth 497,875. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JAMEs WAYLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New J er; sey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Switches and Signals;- and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the,

art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to operate a danger signal automatically and by mechanical means, whereby an engineer may know of the condition of the switch before bringing his train thereto.

The invention consists in the improved switch and signal, having the arrangements andcombinations of parts, substantially as will be hereinafter set forth and finally embodied in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures, Figure 1 is a plan of the improved switch and signal, and Fig. 2is an elevation showing the signaling end of the device.

In said drawings, a, indicates the track; I), the switch thereon; c, the switch operating. rod, which may be the one commonly employed in operating the switch. 'd, indicates necting rod extending parallel with the track and connecting with the signal stationed at a distance from the switch, said rod being arranged or supported on bearings, Z, Z, at its opposite ends, which prevent it from moving laterally, but admit of a longitudinal movement. The said rod may be in one piece, or be in sections, as indicated in Fig. 1, where the center part is shown to be of smaller diameter than the end parts, 6', 0 which engage said bearings, Z, to reduce the cost of construction.

At the opposite ends of said rod, e, are coun teracting or counterbalancing springs, '5, both under tension or compression which are so- ;as indicated in Fig. 1. Eranged at opposite ends of the rod, e, and with cured to said rod or the sections e, e thereof,

Said springs being arequal force opposing one another, hold said rod and the parts depending thereon in a normal position, which is maintained until the balance is disturbed. Each of said springs are arranged between fixed bearings lo, of the rod-supporting plates, m, and adj ustable bearings, such as the nut, j, on the rod. At the signaling end of said rod, the same is in connection with signal operating mechanism, which may be a bell crank, h, fulcrumed as at it, upon a suitable support, k and a rod or connection, h with the semaphore, g, stationed on the post, f. The signal may, however, be of any other form or construction than that shown and be connected with the rod, e, in any manner adapted to secure the desired results.

The springs, 'Z, 'i, at opposite ends of the rod, 6, are of substantially uniform power, and are each capable of moving the rod, 6, and its connections. They are so arrangedin relation to the bearings, k, k, and the rod, e, as to bear oppositely and thus maintain an equilibrium.

' In operating the device, when the switch is workedby hand or otherwise in any ordinary manner, the incline, d, is thrown against the end of the section, e, forcing the same in a direction parallel with the track, against the power exerted by the spring, 1', and thus disturbing the counterpoise, and allowing the spring at the opposite end of the rod, e, or the section, 6 thereof to act to draw said section,

e, toward the signal post, f, or in such manner as may serve to operate the signal.

By this construction and operation, a positive movement is transmitted from the switch to the signal, without loss of power, such as would be occasioned by the buckling or bending of the rod were the moving power applied at the switch end only.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is v 1. In a switch signal, the combination with the rod, 6, of counterbalances, 'Z, arranged at opposite endslof said rod and exerting, normally, equal tension or draft on said rod, each counterbalance drawing the rod toward itself,

said rod having means at one of its opposite ends to receive the power exerted by the moving switch, and at the other to transmit said power to the signal, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the switch and signal of a rod having springs, i, at its opposite ends each normally under tension or compression and normally holding said rod at an initial position and adapted to return said rod to said initial position after said rod has been forced therefrom.

3. The combination with the switch and the rod, 0, thereof, having means thereon for converting the lateral movement thereof into longitudinal movement, of alongitudinally movable rod, (2, arranged in bearings, l, l, and having springs z, t, at its opposite ends, drawing each upon said rod and normally holding said rod in an initial position and after the counterpoise of the rod is disturbed returning said rod to said initial position automatically, and a switch signal adapted to be operated by said rod, 6, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In combination with the switch, I), and rod, 0, having the incline, g, a rod, 6, engaging said incline and adapted to be moved 1ongitudinally thereby, springs, 2', secured to said red at one end and pressing against bearings, k, at the other said bearings, a bell crank, h, rod, h and a semaphore, g, stationed on a post, f, at a distance from the switch, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of January, 1894:.

JAMES WAYLAND. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, ROBERT SOLLBERGER. 

